I did not completely understand if I was doing well or not but he called someone after a while.  A middle-aged lady materialized in our room.  This lady gestured me to follow her and she brought me to another conference room where I was offered a cup of coffee.  She indicated to me that they had been looking for an experienced person to fill the job.  This position required someone who was bilingual and had more than a casual interest in arts.  What was extremely important, however, was several years of experience in organizing arts exhibitions on a global scale.  They had been searching desperately for such an individual but have had no success.  She asked I if I would be willing to be considered for such a position as a trainee.  I would be paid less than they would have paid if they had found the type of candidate that they were seeking but if I proved myself, I could rise fairly quickly.  This proposition did appear overwhelming to me but all I could say was, "I am willing to try and I will do anything to make it a success.  I realize that I do not have the experience to show but I do not mind learning as I go".  The answer pleased the lady and she suggested that she would call me later if everyone in the organization would be receptive to the idea of taking me as an Executive-in-training for six months and then hire me full time if I proved to be competent during this period. 

By the time I reached home during the mid-afternoon, there was a message on the answering machine for me.  I had been asked to go for the second interview the next day with another group of executives.  When I told Yumiko, she could not believe what I was able to do.  She immediately guessed that I must have done an excellent job at the interview.  It was expected that there would be one or two French museum executives at the second round of interviews.  Yumiko suggested that it would be good to introduce me to Yayoi, her old boyfriend, just to give her an idea of interacting with Japanese people in a formal setting so that I would not feel intimidated.  Yayoi and Yumiko were still good friends though she was mad at him for dating two other women while she was madly in love with him.  

I liked the idea too and readily agreed to go out for dinner again.  Since we wanted to spend more time talking rather than being in a wild place, Yumiko chose a traditional restaurant this time.  Yayoi looked like a big flirt from the start since he treated me as if he had known me for ages.  While I was getting used to such attention from Japanese men, it did take a bit of time to get used to a compulsive flirt.  He gave me some tips on meeting senior executives at the museum and suggested that I should just try to be me.

I tried to look as serious as I could for this set of interviews.  Dark blue business suit and a black briefcase did make me look a few years older than I actually was, but I still had to overcome my lack of any real experience.  When I presented myself at the reception, I was told that I was scheduled to meet Kobayashi, Exhibition Manager, Tanaka, Creative Director, and LaCroix who was visiting from France.  

Kobayashi was surprisingly friendly to me and I did not have much difficulty in impressing him.  He himself did not speak any French but had traveled to France many times.  His main responsibility was to coordinate relations with museums and galleries in Japan.  If hired, I would be working closely with him.  Tanaka looked a little bit weird to me but he was a quiet man who did not speak much.  He asked brief questions to me about my interests in art.  It seemed that he was not necessarily interested in evaluating me as a colleague but had agreed to meet me simply because it was required of him.

LaCroix came as a shock to me.  I had expected a middle-aged person but was presented with someone who was less than 25.  He wore a dark gray suit and looked perfectly at ease in Japan.  After pleasantries, asking me about my background, my interests, he wanted to learn more about me as a person - what did I enjoy doing for fun, where would I want to go for a dream vacation, which book had a lasting influence on me, and if I would like to live in Japan for a few years.  I gave him honest answers about these questions.  Of course, I would love to go to Okinawa for a long vacation but could not say that I would want to live there.  My favorite book was "Sophie's World" and gardening was favorite pastime.  It seemed from LaCroix’s expressions that he was more fascinated, rather than impressed, by me.  I was not sure what to make of it, though I had made every effort to look as serious and professional as I could.  

I was not sure if LaCroix had more than professional interest in her.  He had been in Japan for more than a year, spoke some Japanese, and was extremely handsome.  I thought that Japanese girls would be at his feet every day.  After meeting Yayoi last night, I guessed that LaCroix too probably had made love to every girl in Tokyo.  Why would he be interested in a French girl who was in Tokyo for the first time in her life?  At the conclusion of my interview, he asked if I really wanted to work for them since this would mean leaving Osaka, working long hours in a city that would be new to me, and expectation that I would pick up Japanese language fairly quickly.  I knew the answer and responded as I had practiced it in my mind a dozen times.  "I am willing to do my very best if I am given this opportunity.  A job with you is a dream job and the timing is perfect too,"  I said with a smile.  LaCroix responded that he was very interested in hiring me and would like to make an offer to me after discussing with other team members.

I was obviously overjoyed.  I did not care what they paid; what was important to me was that I had a job, and a good one too.  Even in my wildest imagination I did not think I could work in one of the most famous museums in Tokyo.   As I got out of the interview, tears rolled down my eyes and as I walked to the train station, I grabbed a payphone and called my parents.  Mother was overjoyed but only for a while.  When she realized what it meant to our family, she sounded a bit sad.  I was too excited to even feel anything right away.  I could not even fully understand if I was sad or happy.